Shay Given open to international return under Martin O'Neill

By Robert Summerscales, Reporter | 18 January 2014

On-loan Middlesbrough goalkeeper Shay Given admits that he could come out of international retirement and return to the Republic of Ireland set-up under Martin O'Neill.

On-loan Middlesbrough goalkeeper Shay Given has admitted that he could come out of international retirement.

The 37-year-old quit playing for the Republic of Ireland in August 2012, but he could be ready to return after first-choice keeper Keiren Westwood picked up a serious shoulder injury.

Giovanni Trapattoni was in charge of Ireland when Given made the decision to retire, but the Italian has since been replaced by Martin O'Neill, whose assistant Roy Keane is expected to watch Given in action for Middlesbrough against Charlton Athletic this afternoon.

"There's no Irish players playing for Charlton, is there? Roy might be scouting for TV or something. I don't know!" Given told reporters.

"The next competitive [international] game is in September, it's only January. A week in football is a long time so nine months is a lifetime. I've not spoken to Martin O'Neill, my number is not hard to get.

"If Roy is coming to watch me, then great. If he is coming to watch somebody else, then so be it. It's too early to say at the minute what I feel about it. They will be looking for their options in March because Keiren Westwood is injured."

Given, who is on loan from Aston Villa, added that he will not get his hopes high until he is contacted by O'Neill or Keane.

"I don't know whether they want me involved or not so it's hard for me to say yea or ney," he continued. "I don't know what the set-up is. I've not had a conversation. There's no point me even commenting until he (O'Neill) has contacted me.

"I did have a conversation with [previous Ireland boss] Giovanni Trapattoni about playing again. He said because I was not playing for Villa, which was a valid argument, then he was looking in a different direction, which was fair enough.

"That's why I say this September is a long time away. I could be back as third choice at Aston Villa by then. I don't know. It's too soon to even comment."

Given has been capped 125 times at senior international level, making him Ireland's second-most capped player of all time, behind Robbie Keane.